Parliament readies for lawmaking

Page Tools

Related

Once the drinks trolleys are cleared away and political spouses
go back home after today's ceremonies to open the new session of
Parliament, the nation's MPs are in for a gruelling legislative
marathon.

In just 21/2 weeks of scheduled sitting days, the Government has
demanded they pass bills covering almost every major portfolio.

MPs will consider whether to boost taxpayer subsidies to people
over the age of 65 with private health insurance, and how best to
protect secret information during terrorism trials.

They will ponder boosting schools funding and Medicare payments
to doctors, and debate the future of indigenous representation
after the demise of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Commission.

Most contentiously of all perhaps, they will fight it out over
changes to industrial relations laws, including a plan to make it
easier for small-business owners to sack their workers.

Labor insists it will not back such proposed laws if they are
the same as those rejected 41 times before. But the Government
insists the move is vital to entice more small businesses to hire
extra workers.

Contemplating such dilemmas yesterday, Labor leader Mark Latham
told his MPs the Opposition would balance its responsibilities to
fight for its longstanding principles without unnecessary
obstructionism.

Labor's role was "to not be spoilers but also to not be
sell-outs", he told them, according to a caucus spokeswoman.